Documents Needed for International Courier from India

Most international shipments are held up not by distance, but by paperwork. Get the documents right and your parcel moves smoothly through customs at both ends; get them wrong and it waits. The good news: for a typical personal parcel the list is short, and we prepare most of it for you. Here is what you need to send an international courier from India.

For every shipment

Whether you’re sending a single document or a box of gifts, these basics apply:

• Sender KYC / photo ID. A copy of your Aadhaar, passport, or other government photo ID. Customs and courier KYC rules require the sender to be identifiable.
• Complete recipient details. Full name, full delivery address, correct ZIP/postal code, and a working phone number with country code.
• A description and value of the contents. Honest and specific — “2 cotton shirts, packaged sweets” rather than just “gifts.”

For parcels (non-documents): the invoice

Any parcel containing goods — gifts, clothes, food, samples — needs an invoice. For personal gifts this is a simple proforma invoice listing each item, the quantity and a realistic value. The invoice is what customs uses to decide whether any duty or tax applies, so it must match what’s actually inside the box. Under-declaring to dodge duty is risky and can get the parcel seized.

For commercial shipments

If you’re a business shipping products, expect to provide more:

• Commercial invoice on your letterhead, with full item, value and currency details.
• Packing list describing the contents, weights and dimensions of each carton.
• GSTIN and business KYC for export documentation.
• Shipping bill / export declaration, which we file as part of customs clearance.
• Certificate of origin or product-specific licences, where the destination country requires them.

For special categories

• Medicines: a copy of the doctor’s prescription, and only in personal quantities. Many countries restrict medicines — check first.
• Dangerous goods: items like perfumes, aerosols, lithium batteries and certain chemicals need correct classification, packing and a dangerous-goods declaration to IATA / IMDG standards.
• Food: generally needs to be sealed and labelled, and some destinations (the USA and Australia especially) restrict it heavily.

Personal vs commercial: the short version

A personal gift parcel usually needs only your ID, the recipient’s details and a proforma invoice. A commercial export needs the fuller set above. If you’re not sure which category you fall into, tell us what you’re sending and we’ll tell you exactly what’s required — and prepare it.

We handle the paperwork for you

As an ISO 9001:2015-certified logistics company with in-house customs experience, document preparation is the part we take off your hands. We confirm the contents, prepare the invoice and export paperwork, and clear customs at origin so your shipment doesn’t stall. Read how courier charges are calculated, explore a destination such as courier to the UAE, or request a quote and we’ll guide you through the documents step by step.